Reborn Liu Bei: I'll lead this Three Kingdoms to victory!

Xiapi.

Sima Yi had been standing in front of the map for a full hour.

Three secret reports lay spread out on the table. One came from Xudu, one from Xiliang, and one from Shouchun. He read these three reports countless times, moving his finger across the map each time he read them.

Xudu. Xiliang. Shouchun.

Three points, connected to form a triangle.

Pang Tong sat beside him, his wine gourd beside him, but he didn't drink a drop. He watched Sima Yi's back without making a sound to disturb him.

Footsteps sounded outside the door. "Come in."

The door opened, and Xu Shu walked in, holding a secret report he had just received.

"Zhongda, there's news from Xudu."

Sima Yi took it and unfolded it. The secret report was written by Xun Qu, and contained only one sentence:

"Ten people have been chosen and are ready to be deployed at any time."

Sima Yi handed the secret report to Pang Tong.

Pang Tong glanced at it, then finally picked up the wine gourd and took a swig. "Zhao Yan's side is moving pretty quickly."

Sima Yi nodded. "Three days, ten, that's enough."

He turned around and looked at the location of Xuchang on the map. "Sir, do you think now is the right time?"

Pang Tong put down his wine gourd, stood up, and walked to the map. "How are Ma Teng's preparations going in Xiliang?"

Sima Yi pointed to another secret report. "Ma Wan's letter says that Ma Teng has already mobilized 30,000 troops, with enough provisions for three months. They are just waiting for our signal."

Pang Tong hummed in agreement. "And what about Cao Cao's side?"

"The order was given yesterday, ordering Xiahou Yuan to lead 30,000 troops on a western expedition. They should be on their way by now." Sima Yi paused. "The garrison in Xuchang is now half gone."

Pang Tong's eyes lit up. "Half?"

"Half," Sima Yi nodded firmly. "Plus, the city-wide search has been stopped, and all the personnel from the Imperial Secretariat have been transferred to the north. Now, Xuchang—"

He didn't finish speaking. Pang Tong finished for him: "It's empty now."

The two men exchanged a glance. Sima Yi turned and walked away.

"Where to?" Pang Tong asked.

"Greetings, my lord."

The rear hall of the Xiapi Governor's Office.

Liu Bei sat at his desk, with the three secret reports laid out in front of him.

Sima Yi stood in front of him, while Pang Tong stood a little behind him.

"My lord," Sima Yi spoke, "the time has come."

Liu Bei looked at him.

"explain."

Sima Yi walked to the map and pointed to the location of Xuchang.

"Xuchang is now garrisoned lightly, the search has been stopped, and the officials from the Imperial Household Department have gone north. That's the first point."

His finger moved to Xiliang. "Ma Teng's 30,000-strong army has assembled and is just waiting for our signal. Xiahou Yuan is leading his troops westward. Once he reaches Xiliang, Ma Teng will completely break ties with Cao Cao. That's the second point."

His finger moved to Shouchun. "General Zhao Yun is in Shouchun, only three hundred li from Xudu. A light cavalry advance can reach him in three days. This is the third one."

He turned around and looked at Liu Bei. "When these three things come together, it's the right time."

Liu Bei remained silent. He stared at the three dots on the map for a long time. "Two parallel lines?" he asked.

Sima Yi nodded. "Western Liang will make the first move, distracting Cao Cao. Once Xiahou Yuan and Ma Teng start fighting, Xuchang will be completely unguarded. At that time—" He paused, "Zhao Yan and his ten men will open the city gates."

Liu Bei remained silent.

Pang Tong spoke up. "My lord, Zhongda is right. If we don't act now, it will be difficult once Cao Cao recovers."

Liu Bei looked at him. "What do you think Cao Cao will do next?"

Pang Tong thought for a moment. "He only has two choices," he said. "Either defend Xuchang to the death and abandon Xiliang, or fight Xiliang to the death and gamble on the safety of Xuchang."

He paused. "Cao Cao was a gambler. He would gamble that Xuchang was safe."

Liu Bei nodded. "Then let him gamble."

He stood up and walked to the window. The sun was shining brightly outside, and the pomegranate tree in the yard was in full bloom.

"Zhongda".

"exist."

"Send the order to Zhao Yun, tell him to prepare. Wait for further instructions on when to move."

"promise."

"Shiyuan".

"exist."

"Have Xun Qu make preparations. Ten people, not one less."

"clear."

"Yuanzhi".

Xu Shu stepped forward. "Present."

"All night watchmen, get moving! Send all news from Xuchang, Xiliang, Xuzhou, and Qingzhou here immediately."

"promise."

The three men accepted the order and left. Liu Bei stood alone by the window.

He looked at the pomegranate tree and remembered that many years ago, in Zhuojun, there was also a pomegranate tree in front of his house. At that time, he was still young and did not know where the future would lead him.

Now I know.

In the east of Xudu City, there is a general store.

Sun Fu stood behind the counter, holding the pair of scissors in his hand.

Business was slow today; he only sold two bags of salt and one bag of sugar all morning. He wasn't worried or bothered.

He was waiting for someone. The curtain was lifted, and a person walked in.

He was a young man, in his early twenties, dressed in ordinary cloth clothes, with a bundle slung over his shoulder, like a scholar on a journey.

"Shopkeeper, do you have needles and thread?" the young man asked.

Sun Fu nodded, turned around and took a bag of needles and thread from the shelf.

The young man paid, picked up his needle and thread, and left. The entire process was conducted without a single unnecessary word.

But just as he took the needle and thread, a slip of paper slipped into Sun Fu's palm. Sun Fu didn't read it. He waited until it was dark, until the door was closed, until all was quiet. Only then did he unfold the slip of paper under the oil lamp. The slip of paper contained only two words:

"Stand by."

Sun Fu stared at those two words, remaining silent for a long time. "Standing at attention." "Soon."

South of Xudu City.

Zhao Yan sat in the room with a piece of paper spread out in front of him. Ten names were written on the paper. These were the ten people he had selected over the past three days.

A former subordinate of the city gate captain was working at the west gate. A clerk at the Imperial Academy had access to a lot of information. The granary clerk at the eastern granary knew how much grain Xuchang had stored. There was also a butcher who was familiar with all the city's ruffians, making him the easiest person to gather information.

Ten people, ten positions. They can all come in handy in crucial moments. He folded the paper and tucked it into his pocket.

Footsteps sounded outside the window. Three short, two long, three short. Zhao Yan opened the door. Xun Qu slipped in.

"Is it settled?" Xun Qu asked.

Zhao Yan nodded. "It's settled."

Xun Qu sat down opposite him. "Let me see this." Zhao Yan took the paper out of his pocket and handed it to him. Xun Qu took it and looked at the names one by one. After reading it, he returned the paper to Zhao Yan.

"Okay," he said. "These ten people are enough."

Zhao Yan looked at him. "When are we moving?"

Xun Qu was silent for a moment. "It'll be soon," he said. "The Western Liang has already made its move. Xiahou Yuan's troops left the city this morning and headed west."

Zhao Yan's heart skipped a beat. Xiahou Yuan was gone. Xu Du was truly empty.

"Then we..."

"Wait," Xun Qu interrupted him, "wait for news from the north."

Zhao Yan nodded. (Wait.)

Having waited this long, a few more days won't hurt.

On the official road outside Xiapi City.

A troop of cavalry is galloping.

The man at the head, dressed in white robes with a silver spear held horizontally across his horse, was none other than Zhao Yun.

He received Sima Yi's order: Be prepared and ready to be deployed at any time.

He didn't ask why, nor where they were going. Preparation was preparation. Standby was standby. That's what he'd been doing for thirty years.

"General!" The lieutenant rode up, "Shouchun is just ahead. Shall we enter the city or set up camp?"

Zhao Yun reined in his horse. "Let's go into the city," he said. "Let's wait inside the city."

The lieutenant hesitated for a moment. "Wait?"

Zhao Yun offered no explanation.

He simply spurred his horse forward.

The Prime Minister's Residence in Xudu.

Cao Cao sat in his study with a military report spread out in front of him.

Xiahou Yuan's troops have already left the city and headed towards Xiliang. At this rate, they should be able to meet Ma Teng in half a month.

He didn't know what Ma Teng would choose. Was it a genuine rebellion, or just a bluff?

He thought of Ma Chao. That young man was still in Xudu, in his hands. Even if Ma Teng was ruthless, he couldn't possibly disregard his son's life, could he?

But what if he really doesn't care? Footsteps came from outside the door.

"Prime Minister," came the voice of Chief Clerk Zheng.

"Come in."

Chief Clerk Zheng pushed open the door and entered, his expression somewhat strange. "Prime Minister, something seems amiss in Xuchang City..."

Cao Cao looked up. "What's wrong?"

Manager Zheng hesitated for a moment. "This afternoon, people saw... unfamiliar faces in several places."

Cao Cao's eyes narrowed. "A new face? Who is it?"

"I don't know." Manager Zheng lowered his head. "Our people followed them for a while, but then lost them."

Cao Cao remained silent. They'd lost them. They'd lost them in Xuchang. What did this mean? It meant those people were experts. They were professionals at this.

"Master Zheng."

"exist."

"A city-wide search, a fresh start."

Chief Clerk Zheng was taken aback. "Prime Minister, it didn't just stop..."

"Let's start over," Cao Cao interrupted him, his voice as cold as a knife. "From now on, not even a fly is allowed to get out."

Manager Zheng bowed his head. "Yes, sir."

He left.

Cao Cao sat alone in his study, watching the flickering candlelight. He suddenly had a bad feeling.

The feeling was like something was slowly approaching in the darkness.